Ballet Boy
by HermioneRose
Summary: Chad yet again saves Ryan from Dennis and Anthony, and he reflects about his friendship with Ryan.


**Author's Note: **Ballet Boy **was inspired by **Fly On A Wall **by e. lockhart, about a girl who wishes she could see what boys did the locker room. And while I was reading it, a certain entry caught my eye, and it so screamed "Chad and Ryan" to me. This is not a romance story, so there is no slash whatsoever, and it's strictly Rylie and Chadylor. This one-shot reflects Chad's friendship with Ryan, and how he saves him from Dennis and Anthony. Enjoy, and happy reading!**

**Chapter One: A Weird Friendship**

No one ever thought that Chad Danforth and Ryan Evans would become friends.

Not after what Chad had said to him that faithful day at preschool: "This is no place for a drama geek."

But, with Haylie Anderson as both of their friends (and Haylie was also Ryan's girlfriend), Chad had no choice but to nice to him and his former Ice Princess sister, Sharpay Evans.

It seems like whenever Ryan was in trouble, Chad was always there to stick up for him: against the jocks that seem to have it out for him, on the account of he doesn't play a sport, and dances his heart out with his sister.

Overall, Chad thought that Ryan was a pretty nice guy: for a drama geek, that is.

While Chad was heading towards the locker room, Chad heard some voices, and the rattling of a locker.

"Let go of me!"

Instantly, Chad knew it was Ryan's voice, and he was right when he saw Ryan being held against a locker, accompied by Dennis and Anthony, two thugs that didn't make the basketball team.

"Listen, Tinkerbell, no one likes you! Your just lucky because your sister is in with the WIldcats!"

"And the Wildcats like him as well."

Dennis, Anthony, and Ryan all turned to see Chad, with his arms folded a cross his chest, wearing a frown.

Ryan was wearing a smile, but Dennis and Anthony wore frowns.

"What do you want, Danforth? This is a private conversation!" Dennis stated, letting go of Ryan, and walking up to Chad.

"Ryan is one of my friends. And I feel that it's my duty to help him out."

Dennis and Anthony looked at each other, and laughed.

"Danforth's friends with Tinkerbell! Isn't that a laugh?" Dennis asked.

Chad felt his hands cletch as fists, and he looked up at Dennis angerily.

"You heard me. I'm friends with Ryan. And I don't care if he dances. It's what he likes to do."

Ryan looked over at Chad, and Chad gave the blonde-haired boy a faint smile.

"You were never friends with Tinkerbell, Danforth."

"No, I wasn't, but his girlfriend, Haylie Anderson, is one of my friends." Chad replied.

Dennis and Anthony looked at each other.

Chad rolled his eyes at the two guys.

"He isn't gay, you know! He's straight!" Chad explained, and that sent some more confusion over to the two thugs.

"He's not?" Dennis asked.

"Of course not! Just because the guy wears pink, and dances, doesn't mean he's outright gay! I know alot of guys who dance, and they are not gay." Chad exclaimed, and Dennis looked at Chad.

"You mean it?"

"Does it look like I'm lying? His sister makes him wear the clothes he has on right now so they can match! It's a legend, dude." Chad pointed out, and Dennis raised an eyebrow.

"Right, and am I suppose to believe that?" Dennis asked.

"Look, all I'm saying is leave Ryan alone. It's that simple." Chad said, and the two guys looked at each other.

"But, bullying him is--"

"I'll call Coach, and tell him your harassing Ryan again. And I _know _you don't want to mess with Coach Bolton." Chad replied, and the two thugs ran out of the locker room, fear of Chad's threat a cross their faces.

Chad then walked over to Ryan, and extanded a hand towards him, and Ryan was pulled up to his feet.

"Thanks, Chad. Really." Ryan told him, and Chad smiled.

"Evans, it's what I do. I like saving your butt every now and then."

Ryan laughed as they made their way of the locker room.

"You don't mind getting into fights?" Ryan asked, and Chad shook his head, his curls swinging from side to side.

"My friends are what is important to me, Evans. I'd hate to see them in trouble, or hurt. Especially you, because I know if anything happened to you, Haylie would kill me."

Ryan grinned as he looked at his friend.

"Yeah, I can see her doing that."

Chad smirked.

"Um, no. I can't see Haylie beating me up, because she's so small."

"She could if she wanted too!"

"Evans, relax. Don't get all defensive."

This was probably the first time that Chad had seen the protectivness side of Ryan (except for Ryan's "shiner"), and Chad frowned, getting back to the subject.

"How did those goons get a hold of you?"

"I was walking with Haylie, and all of a sudden, Dennis snatched me up, and brought me to the locker room. Haylie wasn't allowed in the boys' locker room, of course, so she had to stay outside."

It was bad enough that Ryan almost got beaten up, but it was worst to see what Haylie was going through: not knowing if her boyfriend was dead or not.

Okay, maybe not dead...

They walked to the qaud, where the students mingled before the first bell rang, and Chad spotted Haylie sitting on a bench with Taylor McKessie, Chad's girlfriend.

Even from a good distance, Chad knew that Haylie was crying, and Taylor was trying to coax her out of it.

"Come on, Evans." Chad said, leading Ryan to the bench, and Taylor looked up.

"Ryan?" she asked, and Haylie looked up, and relief swept over her face.

"Ryan!" she said, jumping up from the bench, and practically sending him back down to the ground, and Ryan gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Taylor walked over to Chad, and she smiled.

"How did you do it, Chad?"

Chad gave her a smile as he swung an arm around her shoulder.

"Let's say I'm his bodyguard...or rather, his protector. If he's in trouble, or if he's hurt, chances are I'm the one to blame for all of it."

Taylor grinned as she wiggled free from his arm.

"Chad, of course not! Ryan happens to be at the wrong place, at the wrong time. Plus, guys like him tend to get on Dennis' bad side."

Chad looked at his girlfriend, and then at Haylie and Ryan who was sitting on the bench.

"So, your saying that Dennis is jealous of Evans?" he asked, and Taylor nodded.

"Well, Ryan certainly had good luck: he has a group of friends, his sister completed changed, and he has a girlfriend that every guy wants...it's no wonder Dennis wants to beat him up so badly!"

As the girls chatted, Ryan walked up to Chad who was leaning against wall, looking at the two girls with a smile on his face.

"What is it, Evans?" he asked, and Ryan took off his hat.

"I just wanted to say thanks again...if you didn't show up, I would have been dead."

"No need to say thanks to me twice in a row, Evans. You know I have your back." Chad explained, and Ryan nodded.

"I know. I just wish there was some way I can repay you."

Chad looked thoughtful, and he smiled.

"Like I said, Evans, I like to help you out. You don't need to repay me back."

"But, I want too: if Dennis or Anthony comes after you, I can always stand up to them just like you did earlier."

Chad knew that Ryan wasn't going to back down this easily.

"Alright, Evans. You have my permission to attack Dennis or Anthony when they have me cornered."

Ryan smiled as he nodded.

"You mean it?"

Chad looked at Ryan's face, and he almost wanted to grin: Ryan was nowhere near as musclar as he was, but Ryan was known to be a bit strong, and if Ryan could protect Haylie, Ryan could protect Chad, even if Chad didn't want Ryan to repay him back.

"Of course I do, Evans. I always keep my word."

Ryan looked at Chad, and Chad playfully rolled his eyes at him.

"I really it. I'm not lying to you."

"Are you sure?" Ryan asked.

Chad sighed, and Ryan grinned.

"Evans, for the last time: No, I'm not lying!"

That's been Ryan burst out laughing, and the bell rang, signaling the passing period of first hour.

Ryan rejoined the girls, and Chad was trailing behind them, thinking about him and Ryan.

In preschool, he would have never guessed that him and Ryan would become friends.

It always made sense that the jocks never become friends with the drama geeks, but Ryan was a special kind.

He was accepted into the Wildcat world, and so was his sister, and while people glared at that (who still believed that the clique system should go back to way it was before the winter musical), the Wildcats saw no different.

Besides, Ryan was an alright guy, once you get passed the clothes and the dancing, and see that he was a caring boyfriend, and a friend rolled into one.

"Come on, Chad! Pick it up!"

Chad snapped out of his daydream, and Haylie was looking at him, and Ryan was chuckling, and one of Ryan's hands was placed on her shoulder.

"You know, he's sort of like you." Haylie contuined when Chad didn't response.

Ryan looked at Chad, and smiled.

"Sort of, but the only difference is that he is a jock, and I'm a drama geek."

Chad returned Ryan's smile.

"Basically, that's all there is."

The four Wildcats got to their classes, and Chad was left to meddle with his thoughts again.

Yes, Ryan and him were definately two different opposites, an unlikely friendship, but hey, that's what his father always told him is that opposites attract.

Just like his friendship with Ryan.


End file.
